What is normal babbling for an 8 month old?

[PigsInTinselToppedWellies]

My HV has asked at DS's last checkups about whether he's started trying to talk. I said yes he's fine but since the last checkup I'm not so sure. I say he fine because he's loud and happy but I'm not sure what is normal for this age really. As I say he's loud but it's all laughs and squeals and happpy shrieks. I hadn't noticed before but have been paying much closer attention since the last appointment. Should he be making random talking noises by now or maybe even a word? Because I now see that he doesn't do it at all and am starting to worry a bit.

They all do things at different times within general parameters so I wouldn't worry too much. DS barely babbled but by 18 months had a ridiculously large volcabulary. and hasn't shut up since

DD is 8 months currently and will say dadada, bababa and muhmuhmuh. she also does an awesome line in raspberries - two distinct types I'll have you know!

If you're concerned then keep an eye on things and good exercises include

• responding to their noises and then giving them gaps to respond so you teach them about conversations
• repeating the same word when you do an activity eg "up up up" when going up the stairs, "down down down" when going down, "clean clean clean" for a new nappy etc
• describing things as you play with them e.g duck is waddling along, dolly is having a nap etc

By the way don't feel bad about worrying we all do - I'm convinced there is something wrong with D D because she doesn't like to stand and her brother was toddling around while held up by this age! There is always something!

Dd wasn't babbling at 8 months, she made lots of noises but no consonants. I mentioned it to the HV when she was about 9 months who said that they wouldn't do anything till the 12 month check.

Literally the next day she started babbling out of the blue and now we can't shut her up.

I think I'm now hyper worried because I know that DH had delayed speech and was later diagnosed with HFA. He's still pretty much non-verbal unless he needs to speak.

I posted about this recently. My dd is 8m and does all the sounds yours does but no baba, dada etc. My DS was doing proper babbling at 6m so I was worried. The consensus was that it was pretty variable so not to worry yet - she has just started to wave and clap so she's obviously understanding something!

Ds is 7 months and says hiya, dada, din din and baba. Dd was very quick with her speech and her cousin (born around the same time) didn't really babble until she was about 1. Both are almost 5 now and sit chatting away to eachother so it really made no difference. If you are worried you could always speak to HV but at 8 months I think it's probably a little early to get yourself too worried.

Seriously DS is now five and somehow managed to start speaking without ever doing babbling and I can't shut him up now.

These things don't always repeat so try not to worry. An try the stuff I suggested earlier it comes from speech therapy people as DS has historically had a stammer from trying to get too many words out at once. He is muh improved now.

Relax this is the first of many panics about their progress and before you know it you'll be concerned about reading book bands or how to stop am endless stream of questions and have forgotten you wee worried they wouldn't learn to talk properly.

If it helps put a reminder in your phone to assess the situation again in two months and do a video now for comparison purposes. That way it's not forgotten but you can push it to the back of your mind?

Do you have a quiet environment, so he doesn't have other noises to compete with?

I always think families who have radio or TV on all day are doing a great disservice to their children. In a quiet room, parent and child can communicate in what ever way is appropriate for the child at that stage of development, and each can hear and be heard without distractions.

How is his hearing? Does he turn to sound?

All babies are different but my 8 month old says mum mum dad dad, hello and I'm pretty sure she's says grandad but DH doesn't believe it. She also points at things, waves, and blows kisses. She babbles a lot to herself when's she's in her cot mostly.

Thanks for all the replies, I feel reassured. His hearing is fine, he can recognise The Wombling Song intro from a mile away. He's happy and blowing raspberries and squealing so I'm just going to wait and see. Plenty of time to worry in the future if needs be.